Karcher K2 test results…

We always recommend the Karcher K4 or K5 pressure washers to run our Watermaker kits. This is based mainly on the fact they are water cooled and have a proven track record of reliability.

However, how does one of the cheapest Karchers - the K2 - compare? Well, we’ve been testing one to find out.

We picked up our K2 on Amazon in a Black Friday sale for €75 delivered. We took it straight to our test boat to try it out.

The K2 plugged straight in to our system and although the high pressure hose seems low quality, it has the same fitting as the K4 we generally use. Once connected, we bled our system and fired up the K2.

We ran the K2 for around 2 hours at a time for 15 sessions so that’s 30 hours in total.

The first thing we noticed was that it is considerably louder than the K4. I almost felt I needed ear defenders when in the locker with it. However, once the door was closed, this was a minor inconvenience.

With the K2, we achieved the same output from our single membrane test rig of 65 litres per hour. The K2 sounded like it was straining more to achieve this but it held stable pressure of 800psi well. (We pushed the pressure to 900psi and it still held on well but the motor sounded strained.)

So….so far so good, the K2 was operating well. In fact, it continued to do so for the entire 30 hours of testing.

However, and here is the catch. Heat! We immediately noticed the increased heat from the K2. It was surprisingly hot in the locker. I say locker, but it’s more of a cabin containing the boats washing machine and cleaning equipment. Opening the window in our cupboard solved the heat build up issue but in a small boat locker, I would be concerned.

So, our overall outcome was pretty positive for the K2 except for the increased heat. Obviously our test was limited to 30 hours and for a single membrane, 65-70 L/H system.

Would we use it as a replacement for the K4 or 5? No. But it would make a great back up pump without taking up too much space or breaking the bank. We just wouldn’t leave it in a small locker unattended.

One conversation that did arise during testing was why bother with a heavy, large and expensive HP Pump when the Karcher K4 does such a god job? Well, we don’t have an answer to that but we will be offering a dedicated HP pump and motor with our systems soon. The choice can then lie with our customers but as much as we’d love to sell them one, we are finding it difficult to justify the expense, extra weight and space they take up when the K4 (compact in our case) does the job so well.

Here are Just a few reasons we like the Karcher option....

Low power draw - The Karcher uses just 1400w meaning it can run off an inverter or a small suitcase generator.
Quieter - The Karcher is actually quieter than most High Pressure Pumps.
Cost - A suitable High pressure pump costs around £800 where as a Karcher K4 can be as little as £120.
Heat - The Karcher K4/5 has a water cooled motor and produces less heat.
Weight - The Karcher is significantly lighter than a High pressure pump and motor.
Readily available - Karcher Pressure washers can be found all over the world.
Reliability - we know of users who have been running Karcher based system for nearly a decade with no problems.

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